Isn't It Christmas?
by Anniemoonwhisper
Summary: Castiel catches up with the Winchesters one night as they're drinking on the Impala, but is injured from a fight. What's that peculiar human December tradition?


**So I've got stuff in progress but I felt like writing some one-shots so there's gonna be a few of these over the next few days, probably all different fandoms but all Christmas/New Years themed. Hope you enjoy (Let me know if you do :)!**

It was a dark and stormy night. Actually, scrap that. The night was jet-black and clear, save for the stars that dotted the vast expanse as far as the eye could see. An unlit road extended out into the fields, winding into a narrow country lane with nothing else in sight. Well, almost nothing.

The Impala blended in magnificently with the darkness of the night, as did the two hunters, clad in flannel and denim. They may have been completely invisible were it not for the moon reflecting lazily off the Impala's hood, illuminating the pair in a ghostly glow.

Dean fumbled around a little in the car's trunk before pulling out two bottles, handing Sam one. He opened his own, taking a long swig from the beer.

"Pretty perfect night, huh?" Dean grinned, never peeling his eyes away from the galaxies stretched out above them.

"Seems like nothing could go wrong."

"Dude, you know our repertoire. Don't jinx it. Trust me, we start to think happy thoughts and it doesn't tend to end well..."

In silence, they continued their drinks.

"Hey, I wonder if-" Dean began, not finishing the thought because, at that precise moment, something heavy landed onto the hood of the Impala with a flurry of wings. Something heavy. Something trench-coated.

"Cas?" Dean tried as the two hunters lowered the angel to the ground from both sides, but he didn't seem to be conscious. Dean tried smacking his face gently, but to no avail. Exchanging a single look, the brothers immediately sprung into action. Sam headed to the front seat to retrieve the first air kit, while Dean gently searched their visitor for any signs of injury. He cursed under his breath, feeling the wetness of his fingers when he examined the angel's side.

"Sammy, help me with this wretched thing..." Despite his dismissive words, Dean placed the trenchcoat on the side very carefully when they had gotten Cas out of it. He undid the buttons on Castiel's shirt while Sam checked the frozen angel for any signs of life. Feeling a thready pulse under his neck, he gave his brother a reassuring nod before Dean parted Castiel's shirt. The entire front was soaked in blood, streaming out of a jagged wound in the angel's side. Upon further examination, the hunters discovered a trail of bruises leading across his chest and what must have been several cracked, if not broken ribs. He had clearly gotten himself into some kind of a fight. And he had not won.

"What happened to you, buddy?" Dean muttered as he set about cleaning the blood around the wound while Sam bandaged the ribs. Despite not being as strongly connected to heaven currently, Cas shouldn't be able to get this injured, should he? The hunters conveyed their concerns through hushed whispers and silent glances as they worked around the angel.

Dean really didn't know why it had hit him so hard. He had patched up Sam on multiple occasions, sewing up himself on a lot more yet here he was, needle grasped in a trembling hand. Not missing a beat, Sam spoke up.

"Hey, Dean... You want me to...?"

Wordlessly, the older hunter handed him the needle with a grateful glance. He instead repositioned himself be Cas' head, needing to feel at least a little useful. The angel's eyes fluttered open as Sam began, a pained look in his eyes. Dean shifted forward, gently placing Castiel's head in his lap and running his fingers through his hair in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. Cas seemed to calm down a little, but he still flinched at every tug of the thread and every prick when the needle entered skin. Thank the lord the hunters had disinfected the wound before he had woken up. That would have been ugly.

"Hey, Cas, you're good. It's over." Sam announced, cutting the thread and wrapping the wound gently, before wiping the blood off his own hands. No one spoke for a while, Dean continuing to play with Cas' hair absent-mindedly as a thousand questions raced through his head. He settled on the most prominent one.

"What the hell happened, man?" his deep voice cut through the crisp air, sounding more hurt than he had intended. The angel's eyes slowly slid open, looking from one hunter to the other. Cas' shoulders buried into the dirt as he suddenly fought to sit up, all the blood rushing from his face as he cried out and reached for his side. Both the hunters started, grabbing Cas and gently helping him into a somewhat upright position and leaning him against the front of the Impala. The angel continued to breathe heavily, leaning his forehead up against the cold metal.

"Things in heaven... Aren't going well." His gravelly voice sunk through the night as Dean glanced at him in annoyance.

"When do they ever? Plus, what's it got to do with you?"

Castiel still hadn't gotten his breath back, taking a moment longer to answer the question.

"It's got _everything_ to do with me. A rival group was formed against me and those who follow my ideals. I never wanted to lead. Those angels, honourable angel... They were led to their deaths because of me." He finished, averting his gaze and both hunters tried to think of anything to say. Instead of trying to formulate a response, Sam instead furrowed his brow in confusion.

"How did you find us?"

"You may be powerfully warded, but we do share a bond and I sensed Dean thinking about me. I used that to guide me here."

"Aren't you worried they'll come for you here?" it was Dean's turn to chip in, the angel's head snapping to him.

"I'm hidden myself. But they won't put any effort into finding me, they very well know I'll be back in heaven soon. I need to return for my people." Cas made the rather unfortunate decision to try and stand again, this time only a soft groan escaped him as he sunk back into the ground with strong arms supporting him from the sides. Through the hazy fog and the pounding in his head, Dean's worried voice floated through his brain like melted butter.

"Cas, you have _got_ to stop doing that, man!"

Slowly releasing his grip on Cas' arm, Dean rose and returned a second later with fresh beers. Handing one to Sam, he popped another open and placed it into the angel's hand, closing his fingers around it before opening up his own.

Cas slowly came to again, taking a gulp from his bottle and making a disgusted face before drinking again. One more question rose to Dean's mind.

"Cas, why are you here?" he didn't mean for it to sound like an accusation, and regretted saying anything altogether when the angel's wide eyes turned to him.

"You always say we're family, and family's there for each other..." he trailed off, averting his gaze before focusing on Sam as the hunter spoke.

"Cas of course you're family. You're our brother. Never doubt that we'll be there for you." He have him a reassuring smile before the angel continued.

"Also, I have something for you."

Dean quirked a confused eyebrow, feeling Sam glance at him.

"I believe it is a human tradition to give useless gifts that will probably be returned anyway, but I understand it is customary, so..."

Instead of finishing the sentence, he reached across for his coat carefully and pulled out two odd-looking packages from the pockets. He handed one to each of the hunters, who eyed the badly-wrapped objects, slightly suspiciously. Dean ripped open his. Inside was a dark piece of cloth, and Dean wandered what purpose it could serve him. Was it warding? What was it for?

He unwrapped the fabric, squinting at the writing in the cold moonlight. It was an ACDC t shirt. Meanwhile, Sam had unwrapped his parcel and was holding a moose-shaped keyring between his fingers as well as a brand new lighter. Both hunters brought their gazes up onto an expectant Cas in unison.

"Well, isn't it Christmas?" It was Cas' turn to be confused, a faint panic spreading across his features. "Did I get the date wrong?"

Silently calculating in his head, Sam reassured the angel.

"No, I guess you're right... We've just been on the road in the countryside for a while, I don't think either one of us realised." He explained simply.

"Well, I know it's not much but I thought I should get you something as per your tradition. Also, did you know Christmas was originally a pagan holiday and the birth of Christ-" he didn't finish that fun fact, because he was hugged by two hunters simultaneously at that moment. He tried to speak again but decided against it, simply sitting in the silence.

"Thanks, Cas. It means a lot." Sam spoke for the both of them.

"But hey, don't forget to heal up before going on any more heavenly suicide missions, you hear me?" Dean tried his best commanding voice, but at that the angel was gone. The sound of rustling feathers was all that remained of the angel, a single feather lying in the grass the only indication he had ever been there.

"Why do we even bother?" Dean sighed in exasperation, a small smile creeping to his lips as he gripped the t shirt and stowed it safely into the boot of the Impala.

"I lost my lighter in a fight with that ghoul a week back." Sam chuckled. "How did he know?"

Dean gave Sam his best _'I don't know, man'_ look before returning to his brother's side and picked up the beer he had left on the ground. Settling himself down on the hood and waiting for the change in weight on the car indicating his brother had sat down next to him, he took a long drink from his bottle.

"Hey," he offered his bottle to Sam who brought his own up against it to the satisfying clink sound, "Merry Christmas, Sammy." He smiled, his face not too used to the non-sarcastic grin.

"Yeah, you too, Dean." His brother smiled back widely, bringing the bottle to his lips. The angel may have left, but Dean could still feel his presence around the Impala.

The road stretched out ahead, ever winding into the darkness. And all that was in sight were the two hunters that drank silently, gazing up at the stars in wonder. It was a very merry Christmas indeed.

**There you go then... it's my first Supernatural fanfiction and I'm honestly not expecting much from it especially since I made the plot up as I went along but I hope at least some of you will like it. All that's left for me to say is...****_Merry Christmas Mishamigos!!!_**


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